The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook* (118 page)

I turned my head and stared at the wall as a million thoughts raced through my hand. I can’t be a mother, I thought, I’m about to fight a war. Mathias was going to freak out, actually he wouldn’t just freak out he would throw me on his back and take me to a far corner in nowhere Siberia for the next two thousand years.

“Ah, there they are,” Rhoswen said softly

“They?”
I asked. “What do you mean?”

“There are two,” she said. “I thought you knew that already. You said you felt two lights inside of you.”

“I didn’t think there were two of them,” I wailed. “Oh my gosh, this just gets better and better. I have a pair of little bodies growing inside of my stomach. It’s just wrong on so many different levels.”

“Willa,” Rhoswen started to say but I cut her off.

“What am I going to do? I have a war to fight. I don’t even know if I’m going to survive. How am I supposed to go into battle knowing I have two little human lives depending on me to keep them safe?” I asked

“Willa, look at your babies,” Rhoswen said gently

I finally turned my head and time seemed to stop as I saw my babies for the first time. “They look like little aliens. Look at their heads.”

Rhoswen laughed. “From the looks of it, you’re about four, four and a half weeks along.”

“I’m not an expert but aren’t they a little big?”

“Gypsies and Fae both gestate at a quicker rate than humans,” Rhoswen explained. “It’s the magic in our blood. In human terms, you’re about three months along. In a few weeks, we’ll be able to tell the sex. Oh, hold on, I forgot to let you listen to the heartbeats.”

Rhoswen placed a small radio looking device on my lower abdomen and sounds of multiple heartbeats filled the air. I was stunned at how fast the rhythm was, and I voiced my concern to Rhoswen.

“All babies’ heartbeats sound fast in the womb but honestly it’s very normal,” she said. “Some say that you can tell the sex just by the heartbeat.”

“So what’s your guess?” I asked

“Well, I have seen and heard a lot of these, and if I were to guess, I would say those are two very healthy boys in there but we won’t know for sure for a few more weeks.”

“Oh dear Lord,” I muttered

“They are in a separate sac which is good but they do share a placenta so that makes me think they might be identical.”

“Awesome, two identical hellions running around playing tricks on me,” I said. “Holy Christ, if you think I aggravate Mathias, can you just imagine how he is going to react when there is two more of me with penis’s ignoring his rules?”

“Mother’s always can tell their twins apart, and I’m sure Mathias will be a wonderful father,” she said. “Now Willa, I have to tell you that you need to be careful. I have no idea what this extra amount of magic in your system will do but you need to take it easy. The Fae are not allowed to teleport after the second trimester so you have to be aware of your limitations.”

“I’m the Fae Sanctity,” I said in a daze. “I don’t have limitations.”

“You’re a mom to be now so yes you do,” she said sadly. “I know just by looking at you that you are going to be more determined than ever to fight and win this war, but you need to think of them as well.”

“I know,” I said. Rhoswen shut down the ultrasound machine and left the room so I could get dressed. I was just sitting down when Mathias spoke to me in my head.

Good morning, my ball and chain, where are you?

Very funny, although technically I don’t think you get to call me that until after you say I do

I suppose I have a few more months of freedom then

In a few more months I was going to be as a big as a house, I thought

Are you all right?

Peachy keen, I’m with Rhoswen helping her catalogue supplies and then I’m going to see my dad

I just saw him. He was not happy that I didn’t ask for your hand in marriage before I proposed

Well considering he’s not even married to my mother he really has no room to bitch

I’ll be in the office today if you need me

Great, fine,
I said. Yeah, I need you Mathias. I’m scared to death right now

Are you sure you’re okay?

I’m good, have a lovely day at the office dear

I heard him chuckle, and I went to go find Rhoswen. She was waiting for me in Oliver’s office with a small bottle.

“These are prenatal vitamins,” she explained. “You need to take them every day.”

I grabbed the bottle and after a few more minutes of talking I teleported out of the hospital to our small island. I punched in the code that would get me to my father’s cell, and as I walked down the long, cold hallway I almost started crying. I knew there was a chance he wouldn’t speak to me, but I needed to tell someone, and he was the one person I needed more than anyone right now.

“Hey dad,” I said softly as I spied him in the corner again. “I know Mathias came by here and told you that we got engaged. I’m sorry he didn’t ask for your blessing but considering you and mom have been shacking up for a hundred and fifty years in sin I think it’s a bit hypocritical.”

“I’m here because I’m freaking out right now, and I need you. You don’t have to talk or anything. I would appreciate it if you keep this between us, but the thing is I’m pregnant daddy. I’m pregnant, and I’m so scared. I can’t tell anyone, especially Mathias. I know I should back off on this whole fighting thing, but I have to do it now more than ever.”

I looked up to the ceiling and wiped my crying eyes. “I have two babies to think of now. I need to protect these two helpless human beings that are growing inside of me, and I can’t do that on the run. I have to stop this now, or we’ll always be looking over our shoulder and that’s not the way I want them to grow up.”

“Twins?” my father asked

“Yeah, Rhoswen said that in a few weeks we should be able to tell the sex but she has a feeling they’re two boys,” I answered. “You’re going to be a grandpa.”

My father didn’t say anything and that broke my heart. I sank to the floor and hung on to the bars for support. I don’t know how long I sat there and cried, but I looked up when I felt a hand enclose mine and squeezed it tightly.

“I always liked Papi,” he said

“You will make a fabulous Papi,” I said

“I love you Willy Dilly,” he said. “I wish you would leave with your mother but I know you won’t so promise me you’ll be careful. I would die a thousand deaths if something were to happen to you or my grandchildren.”

“I love you too dad,” I said. I stood up, and we both looked at each for a moment. I smiled and was about to leave when Mathias’s voice exploded in my head.

Are you with your father?

Yes, why?

I think Fonn is trying to break the enchantments. We have detected almost a thousand Rau circling the island.

“Oh my God,” I said out loud. No, not today, I thought, I just found out I was pregnant. I can’t handle this shit right now.

“What is it Willy?” my dad asked anxiously

“The Rau are invading with Fonn,” I said. “I have to go.”

“Get me out of here,” he demanded. “Let me help you.”

“It’s too risky,” I said, “I can’t.”

“Willa Cecelia,” he started to say but I had already turned to leave.

I landed right in the madness of the Guardian epicenter. I spotted Mathias and made my way over to him.

“What’s going on?” I asked

“There are almost a thousand Rau circling around the island. Lord Fonn is here with Lord Cual. We believe there may be a witch and a warlock with them,” he answered

“Well I’ll take care of the Rau,” I said but Mathias stopped me

“We need a plan first Willa,” he snarled. “You can’t go…”

Mathias stopped what he was going to say to answer his phone. His stony face had changed into exasperation before he handed it to me.

“Hello?” I asked

“Willa, its Sidra,” my grandmother said. “The king of the Sprites is here and he is awaiting your command in the castle courtyard.”

“What?” I asked. “Why is he here? There is no way I am allowing any of the Sprites involving themselves in this fight. Open a portal and send them back.”

“Please talk to him,” she said. I hung up the phone and went up to the courtyard. I stared for a second at the king and probably two hundred Sprite warriors that assembled in front of me.

“King Kasius,” I said. “What are you doing here? You need to leave. I could never live with myself if something happened to any of you.”

“Willa,” he said. “Why do you think Lord Fonn wants to keep us under his thumb? Our warriors are small but mighty. The spears we carry can kill the Rau.”

“You never told me that,” I said before shaking my head. “No, it’s too risky.”

“Willa,” Winifred and Sidra both said my name at the same time as they rushed to my side

“Where’s mom?” I asked

“She’s with your father,” Winifred answered. “What should we do? Right now the barriers are holding but they will start making cracks within the spell shortly.”

Mathias and Robert joined us in the courtyard. I bit my lip hard as I tried to formulate some plan. Machall, Bran and Lucian joined us, and they looked at me expectedly.

“I’ll take care of the first wave of Rau,” I said. “The Sprites and Guardians need to be scattered over the island for any more that may come. I’m sure this is probably just Fonn and Cual’s’ front line. Sidra, you and Granny Winnie need to go to the tower room. You have to drop the enchantments around the island.”

“What?” Winifred said in disbelief

“I want them to come on the island,” I replied. “The more chaos around the better and if we can kill a bunch of them so be it. Macky, you and Bran take care of Fonn. Keep him occupied while I focus on Cual. Sidra you need to stick close and use a concealment spell or whatever it is you need to do, but I need you near me. I might need help binding them and pulling out their powers.”

“Yes, of course,” Sidra said before letting out a cry, “Kelvin.”

I turned around to see my grandfather and his royal guard striding into the courtyard purposefully. They were dressed in black and looked pretty ferocious. My grandfather greeted everyone, and we caught him up to speed on the situation.

“What do you want us to do?” he asked

“Stay with Willa and Sidra,” Mathias said. “You both are going to need someone to watch your backs.”

“What are you going to do Mathias?” Winifred asked

“Mathias is going in the command center and keeping an eye on the whole island with the cameras. He can speak directly to me so this way I can have an idea as to what is going on with everything,’ I said

“Mathias is going to be killing several Rau and anyone else that may cross his path,” he glowered at me. “I am not sitting behind a computer.”

“Mathias,” I said pleadingly. “Please,”

“Don’t ask me to do that Willa,” he said

“What about me?” Lucian said. “I’m feeling left out of this whole battle.”

“Lucian, I need you and Beatrice to guard my granny Winnie,” I said. “If we can’t intimidate this witch or warlock they’ll probably come after Winnie first.”

“I will lay down my life for this magnificent creature,” he said smoothly as he glanced at Winifred. I almost chuckled when I saw her blush under Lucian’s gaze.

“So when do we start?” Machall asked

“We start now,” I said before walking over to Mathias and giving him a long hard kiss.

“Stay alive and kick ass,” he said

“Ditto,” I said before turning to everyone. “I just want to say to everyone thank you. Stay safe, be on guard and if you find yourself in a sticky situation, get out of here. Also, when this is over you all are invited to the wedding of the year.”

I held up my left hand, and almost everyone smiled. Granny Winnie looked slightly shocked, and I gave her and Sidra a quick hug before shooting off into the sky.

I said a quick prayer to anyone that may be listening and then I attacked. I had no desire to play any games. I went from one group of Rau to another setting them on fire as I went from being vapor to flesh in midair. Most of them had no idea what was even happening. I was able to get rid of about half before the other ones caught on to my presence.

I started having a hard time teleporting and setting them each on fire. One of them caught my leg and all of a sudden I was dangling in the air. I saw his fangs coming closer, and I laughed. Let him drink my poisonous blood I thought. I felt his teeth graze my leg when I heard the most awful sound. It was a roar of madness. I thought it might be Mathias, and I smiled in amusement. Didn’t he realize I had this under control?

The Rau’s body ripped away from me, and I started falling to the ground. I called on my air, and when I looked up I saw not my fiancée tearing the vampire who had trapped me, but my father. I had no idea how he got out of his cell, but he was here, and he was raging with anger. I watched for a minute as he flew from one Rau to another tearing off their heads and ripping out their hearts with the mindless precision. My dad was on a mission, and his goal was to protect me and my babies.